This Sox team has the look of the 116 win Mariners club of 2001. I was waiting for some one to compare the Great Mariner choke team of that year implying that the Sox may have a similar fate................:(:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2002348471_ston26.html

I always enjoy his "ranking lists" every Sunday in my big Sunday fish wrap...
I think the Sox have been number 1 on his list all season.......usually amusing
stuff:D:

kevingrt

06-26-2005, 01:35 PM

It is a fair comparison at this time though. I mean both teams come from nowhere to take a strong 10+ games lead in their division. Each has a quality leadoff hitter (Pods and Ichiro). Both have someone coming over from Japan and rocking the league (Tadahito and Ichiro). The starting staffs are quality on each staff.

I mean hopefully we can go further in the playoffs then those Mariners but I respect the guy making the comparison, especially from an outsiders perspective of this team.

ChiSox14305635

06-26-2005, 01:37 PM

Not a bad read, except for the "dreary stadium" line. I think as the Sox get more exposure and people see the Cell, that it will change their view of the park.

Medford Bobby

06-26-2005, 01:42 PM

Ditto my sentiments..also it's early, but who might we play in the first round??? Whom ever the wildcard team is??? Angel's...BoSox...Yankmees....Baltimore or even a Central division team???:o:

Southsider101

06-26-2005, 01:51 PM

I've certainly read worse, especiallly from the Sun-Times & Cubune. But, but "dreary stadium?" Please, people from Seattle should save the word dreary for their weather. Safeco Field is a fine ballbark, but at least the Cell doesn't have a roof.

oeo

06-26-2005, 01:57 PM

Former Mariners ace Freddy Garcia is the No. 3 starter in a deep White Sox rotation.

Even though Garland is 12-2, I still do not consider Freddy as our No. 3 starter. How does he figure?

Anyway, I still thought it was a good article.

CHISOXFAN13

06-26-2005, 02:02 PM

Ditto my sentiments..also it's early, but who might we play in the first round??? Whom ever the wildcard team is??? Angel's...BoSox...Yankmees....Baltimore or even a Central division team???:o:

The Sox can't play the Twins or any other AL Central division team in the ALDS.

Even though Garland is 12-2, I still do not consider Freddy as our No. 3 starter. How does he figure?

Anyway, I still thought it was a good article.

If we started a short series (that is to say, playoff series), I can't imagine our rotation would look anything different than this:

1. Buehrle
2. Garland
3. Garcia
4. El Duque

Contreras in the bullpen.

That's of course assuming no injuries and Kenny not changing our roster with a deadline deal.

I hope that answers your question.

SoxSpeed22

06-26-2005, 02:47 PM

Our rotation is way batter than theirs. They had
Garcia, Moyer, Sele, Paul Abbott and John Halama.
They just didn't have the talent to win, unlike the Yankees.

batmanZoSo

06-26-2005, 02:58 PM

I think we have a better rotation than that team did. Buehrle and Garland are better than anything they had and Garcia of course was on both teams. He was arguably better that year because he lead the league with a 3.05.

That team had a better lineup though. Ichiro, Boone, Olerud, Martinez, and a Cameron who drove in 110 runs and had a great year with the bat.

Really, who cares? 2001 was a very tough year in baseball, that's why the M's didn't make it to the Series. You had a great Yankee team, a 102 win Oakland team in their prime, and the unbeatable D'Backs with Schilling and the Big Unit. This year won't be nearly as tough to win it all for any team as it was in 01.

Banix12

06-26-2005, 05:13 PM

I never really liked these comparisons to past teams. They faced different opponents, the teams were constructed of different players with only Freddy being the player who played for both I believe. The only real similarity is they both got out to huge leads but you can't look at the other as an indication as to what will happen this year.

It's all different and very meaningless. Though the comparisons to do make interesting filler for newspapers looking for a new angle.

ChiSoxRowand

06-26-2005, 06:24 PM

[QUOTE=kevingrt] I mean both teams come from nowhere to take a strong 10+ games lead in their division.QUOTE]

I wouldn't say that Seattle came from nowhere. They made the playoffs the year before.

Tragg

06-27-2005, 12:21 AM

I've certainly read worse, especiallly from the Sun-Times & Cubune. But, but "dreary stadium?" Please, people from Seattle should save the word dreary for their weather. Safeco Field is a fine ballbark, but at least the Cell doesn't have a roof.

There is nothing in the least bit compelling about Safeco, except that it's ugly as sin from the outside. it's a decent enough place, but nothing special at all. The only thing interesting is that you can go down to the bullpens and chat with the relievers. I had a little chat with Jesus Pena there once.....

The mariners didn't exactly choke; they won their first series and lost a tough ALCS to the yankees.

guillen4life13

06-27-2005, 01:17 AM

The Mariners that year, at least during the season, had something more special than what the Sox have now.

That year, everything seemed to go their way in games. Bloop hits, etc.

Comparing Tadahito to Ichiro, IMO, can't be justified. Ichiro dominated that year. No one else was on that level. Tadahito is not dominating now. He's playing a little above average, but that's it.

Paul Abbott had a good year, winning 17 games. Sele won 15, Garcia won 18 and Moyer won 20. Halama/Pineiro combined for 16. This year the Sox have the potential for 2 20 game winners and one single 15 game winner unless Contreras/Hernandez heat things up or get more run support. Their rotation, on paper, was better.

And that year, Kaz Sasaki was really, really tough. The only weak link in that pen was arguably Jose Paniagua. Arthur Rhodes, Jeff Nelson and Norm Charlton were all good that year. So were Ryan Franklin and Brett Tomko.

Interestingly enough, Scott Podsednik played 5 games for that team, garnering 6 AB's but no SB's, and 3 RBI.
Position for position, lets compare the teams offensively:

That may be, but I'm not asking them to win 116 games. I'm asking them to play good baseball and make the playoffs, then I'll ask them to win round by round, etc.

Yes the Cubs took 2 out of 3 from us this weekend, yes it sucks, but we split the season series 3 games apiece. It's done with, let's move on to the Detroit series.

CubKilla

06-27-2005, 03:20 AM

Yes the Cubs took 2 out of 3 from us this weekend, yes it sucks, but we split the season series 3 games apiece. It's done with, let's move on to the Detroit series.

GO SOX!!!!!

Hopefully Detroit don't hand us our ass on a platter like the Cubs did.....

The Cubs????? That sounds funny when talking about a team that's 26 games over .500.....

Banix12

06-27-2005, 03:39 AM

I still think it's stupid to compare one team to the other. Different years, different players. Saying the Sox will fold because Seattle did is a dumb statement right up with Baseball Prospectus in preseason saying Tadahito Iguchi wasn't going to be a good player this year because Ray Durham didn't do particularly well when he came into the league.

CubKilla

06-27-2005, 03:44 AM

Saying the Sox will fold because Seattle did is a dumb statement right up with Baseball Prospectus in preseason saying Tadahito Iguchi wasn't going to be a good player this year because Ray Durham didn't do particularly well when he came into the league.

Exactly. Worry because the Sox lost to a sad ass team just cause the pitching was decent..... wasn't even that great..... but good enough to beat the MLB leading Sox 2 of 3.

Banix12

06-27-2005, 03:46 AM

Exactly. Worry because the Sox lost to a sad ass team just cause the pitching was decent..... wasn't even that great..... but good enough to beat the MLB leading Sox 2 of 3.

Geez, does every post you make tonight have to be about the last cubs series? Take some tranquilizers and go to bed already.

CubKilla

06-27-2005, 03:52 AM

Geez, does every post you make tonight have to be about the last cubs series? Take some tranquilizers and go to bed already.

I'll take a tranquilizer but think of this..... the Sox just got SO by a P coming off the DL and a s$%^-bag lucky to win 1 game in SF..... not mentoning a "closer" that's sucessful, now, over 90% of the time..... YAY!

Joosh

06-27-2005, 03:55 AM

GO SOX!!!!!

Hopefully Detroit don't hand us our ass on a platter like the Cubs did.....

The Cubs????? That sounds funny when talking about a team that's 26 games over .500.....

Were you that :dtroll: out on the fan deck today?

Wow, either you really need to calm down, or your a Cubbie Luvin' :dtroll: ...

fquaye149

06-27-2005, 09:33 AM

GO SOX!!!!!

well you are officially a troll.

congratulations.:dtroll:

Baby Fisk

06-27-2005, 09:37 AM

I think we have a better rotation than that team did. Buehrle and Garland are better than anything they had and Garcia of course was on both teams. He was arguably better that year because he lead the league with a 3.05.

That team had a better lineup though. Ichiro, Boone, Olerud, Martinez, and a Cameron who drove in 110 runs and had a great year with the bat.

Really, who cares? 2001 was a very tough year in baseball, that's why the M's didn't make it to the Series. You had a great Yankee team, a 102 win Oakland team in their prime, and the unbeatable D'Backs with Schilling and the Big Unit. This year won't be nearly as tough to win it all for any team as it was in 01.
Batman you are out of your mind. We lost two in a row to the Cubs. We should have WON this series! Our soft underbelly is exposed! The Sox are frauds! We are doooooomed....

scottjanssens

06-27-2005, 11:26 AM

In 2001 I was living in Seattle and attended over a dozen games that season. This Sox team would beat that M's team. I said all season that the M's were overachieving and no one would listen to me. Boone and Cameron had career years. Like the current Sox they had a great bullpen. They just won games, but I don't think the M's were as good a comeback team as this year's Sox.

As much as I love Comisky, Safeco Field is the best ballpark I've been to. The only park that I haven't seen that might surpass it is Camden.

As for the Cubs game today, you could look at it as the Sox getting SO by a pitcher coming off the DL, or you can look at it as the Sox getting SO by an elite pitcher coming off 4 weeks of rest.

Ironically, I don't think the Sox took batting practice yesterday. I was pleased to be able to enter the park a half hour early and catch the last bit of Sox hitting practice, but when we got in there were no Sox on the field and some Cubs players had just begun stretching.

Steakpita

06-27-2005, 11:30 AM

The only game I've ever been to at Safeco was one of the best experiences of my life. Those upper deck w/ view seats (not sure what they're officially called) give you the complete Seattle skyline and a great view of the game at the same time, often just as the sun is setting... In addition, it's the only ballpark I've ever been to where the concessions are even in the same league (no pun intended) as the Cell - there's a ton of fresh seafood, garlic fries (almost worth the trip by themselves), and a really good selection of microbrews. Prices are a real ripoff and the hot dogs can't hold a candle to a Best's Kosher w/, but overall it's a great place to watch a game, or to watch a really pretty cityview as the Mariners get stomped.

Not to mention whenever the Mariners stink, tickets get dirt cheap. Myself and a friend paid five bucks apiece for the aforementioned seats. What a deal. All in all, it makes the Urinal look like absolute (*&#$ and Comiskey.. err.. the Cell, look pretty average - and don't get me wrong, i **LOVE** the Cell.

Has anyone ever thought of painting that smokestack in left center with Sox colors or insignia? Also, how much would it take to get right of the giant McDonald's ad in the middle of the scoreboard?

scottjanssens

06-27-2005, 11:41 AM

I'd go to Wrigley for the Safeco garlic fries. That should tell you how good they are.